1. Chapter 3 The Earth as a System Earth is divided into four parts:
Section 1 The Geosphere
The Earth as a System
Earth is divided into four parts:
The Geosphere
The Atmosphere
The Hydrosphere
The Biosphere

2. Discovering Earth’s Interior
Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Discovering Earth’s Interior
Measure changes in the speed and direction of seismic waves through different mediums.
Earth is made up of different layers

3. The Structure of the Earth
Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
The Structure of the Earth
Compositional Layers
Crust
Mantle
Core
Physical Layers:
Lithosphere - solid, outer layer of crust and upper mantle (tectonic plates).
Asthenosphere – “plastic” layer of mantle (flows allowing tectonic plates to move).
Mesosphere - lower mantle.
outer core - liquid layer
Inner core - center of the Earth, dense, solid, made of iron and nickel.

4. Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Earth’s Layers

5. Chapter 3 Plate Tectonics
Section 1 The Geosphere
Plate Tectonics
The continents are located on tectonic plates
The major plates are
Pacific
North American
South American
African
Eurasian
Antarctic
Tectonic plates may separate/collide/slip past one another causing mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

6. Chapter 3 Earthquakes Fault- break in the Earth’s crust
Section 1 The Geosphere
Earthquakes
Fault- break in the Earth’s crust
When rocks under stress break along a fault, earthquakes are set off.

7. Chapter 3 Earthquakes Magnitude-energy released by an earthquake.
Section 1 The Geosphere
Earthquakes
Magnitude-energy released by an earthquake.
smallest magnitude felt is 2.0
largest magnitude recorded is 9.5
Magnitudes >7.0 cause widespread damage.
An increase of 1 whole number releases 31.7x more energy.

8. Chapter 3 Earthquake Hazard
Section 1 The Geosphere
Earthquake Hazard
Scientists can determine where earthquakes are likely to occur, not when.
An area’s earthquake-hazard level is determined by past/present seismic activity.
Earthquake-resistant buildings are flexible so that they can sway with the ground motion.

9. Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Volcanoes
Volcanoes are often located near colliding/separating tectonic plate boundaries.
Most active volcanoes are on Pacific Plate boundaries.

10. Local Effect of Volcanic Eruptions
Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Local Effect of Volcanic Eruptions
ash, dust, and gases can flow up to 200 km/hr and sear everything in their path.
volcanic ash can mix with water and produce mudflows.
ash can cause buildings to collapse, bury crops, damage car engines, and cause breathing difficulties.

11. Global Effects of Volcanic Eruptions
Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Global Effects of Volcanic Eruptions
In large eruptions, clouds of ash and gases spread across the planet reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface.
This can cause a drop in global temperature for several years.

12. Chapter 3
Section 1 The Geosphere
Erosion
Erosion – Earth’s materials are transported from one place to another by wind, water, ice or gravity.
Erosion wears downs rocks and makes them smoother over time. Older mountains are therefore smoother than younger ones.

13. Chapter 3 The Atmosphere
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Atmosphere
Gases can be added and removed from the atmosphere through living organisms.
Volcanic eruptions add gases to the atmosphere, while vehicles both add and remove gases.

14. Composition of the Atmosphere
Chapter 3
Section 2 The Atmosphere
Composition of the Atmosphere
Nitrogen is 78% of the atmosphere (produced by volcanoes and decaying organisms).
Oxygen is 21% of the atmosphere (produced by plants).
Other gases include argon, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.

15. Chapter 3
Section 2 The Atmosphere
Air Pressure
Earth’s atmosphere is pulled toward Earth’s surface by gravity, therefore, the atmosphere is denser near the Earth’s surface.
Air becomes less dense with elevation, so breathing at higher elevations is more difficult.

16. Layers of the Atmosphere
Chapter 3
Section 2 The Atmosphere
Layers of the Atmosphere
Four layers based on temperature changes above Earth’s surface.
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

17. Chapter 3 The Troposphere troposphere lowest layer
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Troposphere
troposphere
lowest layer
temperature decreases as altitude increases.
weather conditions occur
densest layer

18. Chapter 3 The Stratosphere Stratosphere above the troposphere
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Stratosphere
Stratosphere
above the troposphere
Temperature rises as altitude increases because ozone in the stratosphere absorbs the sun’s UV energy and warms the air.

19. Chapter 3 The Mesosphere above the stratosphere
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Mesosphere
above the stratosphere
coldest layer (temperatures as low as –135ºF)

20. Chapter 3 The Thermosphere farthest from Earth’s surface
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Thermosphere
farthest from Earth’s surface
nitrogen and oxygen absorb solar radiation resulting in temps above 3,632 ºF
air is so thin that air particles rarely collide, so little heat is transferred, and would therefore not feel hot.
X rays and gamma rays absorbed by nitrogen and oxygen cause atoms to become electrically charged ions.
lower thermosphere is called the ionosphere.
Ions can radiate energy as light, which glow as the Aurora Borealis near the poles.

21. Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere
Chapter 3
Section 2 The Atmosphere
Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere
Radiation – energy transferred as waves (sunlight)
Conduction - transfer energy as heat through contact
Convection - movement of matter due to differences in density caused by temperature variations
warm air rising and cool air sinking

22. Chapter 3 The Greenhouse Effect
Section 2 The Atmosphere
The Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect - warming of the lower atmosphere that occurs when greenhouse gases absorb, trap, and reradiate infrared radiation.
Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold for life to exist.
The most abundant greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

23. Chapter 3 The Hydrosphere
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
The Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere includes all of the water on Earth
oceans, lakes, rivers, wetlands, polar ice caps, groundwater, and clouds.

24. Chapter 3 The Water Cycle water cycle - continuous movement of water
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
The Water Cycle
water cycle - continuous movement of water
Evaporation –liquid to gas
Condensation –gas to liquid
Water vapor on dust particles form clouds.
Precipitation - rain, snow, sleet, and hail

25. Chapter 3 Earth’s Ocean The largest ocean is the Pacific
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Earth’s Ocean
The largest ocean is the Pacific
Deepest point, the Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench.
11,033 m which is deeper than Mount Everest is tall
Surface currents move clockwise north of the equator.
Surface currents move counter-clockwise south of the equator.

26. Chapter 3 Earth’s Oceans The 2nd largest ocean is the Atlantic
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Earth’s Oceans
The 2nd largest ocean is the Atlantic
half the size of the Pacific
divided into a north and south half based on the surface current flow
The Indian Ocean is the 3rd largest ocean
The smallest ocean is the Artic
Mostly covered by floating ice

27. Chapter 3 Ocean Water Salinity is the amount of salt in a liquid.
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Ocean Water
Salinity is the amount of salt in a liquid.
Salinity is low in places high precipitation or where fresh water flows in to the sea.
Salinity is high where water evaporates rapidly and leaves the salt behind.
Most salt in the ocean is NaCl.

28. Chapter 3 Temperature Zones
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Temperature Zones
The surface zone is warmed by the sun, while the deep zone is just above freezing.
Surface waters are mixed by waves/currents.
In the middle is the thermocline, where the temperature falls rapidly.

29. A Global Temperature Regulator
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
A Global Temperature Regulator
The ocean absorbs and releases heat slower than land, so the temperature of the atmosphere changes slowly.
Without the ocean, temperatures would be too extreme for life to exist on Earth.
Currents that circulate warm water bring moderate climates to land.
EX: the British Isles are warmed by the waters of the Gulf Stream.

30. Chapter 3 Ocean Currents
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Ocean Currents
Surface currents: Wind driven movement of water near the surface.
Deep currents - movements of water that flow slowly along the ocean floor.
form when cold, dense water from the poles sinks below warm, less dense water and flows toward the equator.

31. Fresh Water and River Systems
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Fresh Water and River Systems
Fresh water – most is locked in icecaps and glaciers, the rest is in lakes, rivers, wetlands, the soil and atmosphere.
river system - network of streams that drains an area of land.

32. Chapter 3 Ground water Aquifer: A rock layer that stores groundwater.
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Ground water
Aquifer: A rock layer that stores groundwater.
Rain and melting snow sink into the ground, run off the land and collect as groundwater.
1% of all the water on Earth, yet fulfills the need for drinking water, and supplies agricultural and industrial need.

33. Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
The Biosphere
biosphere -part of Earth where life exists (11 km into the ocean and 9 km into the atmosphere).
When an organism dies, its nutrients become available for other organisms.
Plants need sunlight to produce their food, and form the basis of the food chain.

34. Energy Flow in the Biosphere
Section 3 The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
Chapter 3
Energy Flow in the Biosphere
Closed systems: Earth cannot exchange matter outside of its boundaries.
Open systems: Earth can exchange energy outside of its boundaries.